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Common Whales of NL
Common Whales of NL
By Todd Hollett
Whale watching has been a popular summertime activity in Newfoundland and Labrador, with numerous whale-watching businesses in many parts of the province offering clients the opportunity to see whales up close and personal. Home to 26 species of whales, seven baleen whales and 19 toothed whales, the chances of catching sight of one or more species in Newfoundland and Labrador are pretty good.
Baleen whales, or Mysticetes, are the giants of our waters, but feed on the tiniest inhabits as they use an elaborate filter system of several hundred slender baleen plates to trap small schooling fish and zooplankton from the seawater.
The diverse odontocetes, toothed whales, all have teeth and are generally smaller, except the huge sperm whale. Most species are social, forming groups of two to several hundred. They are fast, often performing acrobatics and bow riding around boats.
Fin Whale
Balaenoptera physalus, the fin whale, at 20 m is the second largest animal on earth. This dark to light grey whale may appear brownish and can be distinguished by its bicoloured jaw, white on the right side and dark grey on the left, which is thought to be used to confuse and corral prey. The head is V-shaped with a pointed snout, the dorsal fin curved, and the pectoral fins and flukes are pointed with grey topsides. The entire underside is white or cream. Some may have darker stripes or bands behind the head which, along with scarring, can be used to identify individual animals.
These streamlined cetaceans are fast swimmers, reaching speeds of over 16 knots (30 km/h). The blow is tall, narrow and columnar reaching heights of 9 to 12 m or higher, typically blowing five to 10 times. They rarely show their tails when diving.
In the Northwest Atlantic small schooling fish such as capelin, herring and sandlance appear to be the preferred prey, though krill and squid are also eaten.
Residing in all world oceans, they’re commonly seen in Newfoundland waters from early spring to late fall. They are the most numerous whales here, excluding humpbacks, usually seen in groups of two to seven.
Locally called finbacks or finners, they can usually be seen off southern Labrador, particularly the Strait of Belle Isle, southeastern Newfoundland around Cape Race, Cape St. Mary’s, Witless Bay and Bonavista Bay.
Humpback Whale
NL’s most common and recognizable whale is probably the humpback whale Megaptera novaeangliae. Humpbacks are usually seen as solitary individuals or in small groups of 10 or fewer, but males pursuing females sometimes form competitive groups of up to 20. Males are very vocal, singing songs that can last for a half hour and are continuously repeated and changing as the breeding season progresses.
These large whales are stocky and knobby, measuring up to 17 m, are dark brownish-grey to black above with a white underside, the white pectoral fins are long and narrow and the undersides of the flukes have a variable pattern of black and white. This tail pattern can be used to identify individual whales. The dorsal fin varies in size and shape sitting atop a hump, which gives this whale its name. The throat grooves are pronounced, the blow low and bushy and the tail usually raised when diving.
Subsisting on krill and fish such as capelin, herring, mackerel and sandlance, they sometimes use a feeding technique known as bubble netting, with several whales corralling prey between the ocean surface, with bubbles blown from the blowhole to more effectively capture fish.
Humpbacks are the most surface active whales, breaching, lobtailing, flipper slapping, lunge feeding and approaching boats to the viewer’s delight. Newfoundland and Labrador has the largest feeding stock in the Northwest Atlantic, with whales easily seen in almost any coastal area of the province.
Orca
Most people are familiar with the orca but don’t realize that Orcinus orca, the killer whale, is not a whale at all. At up to 8 m and 6000 kg, it’s the largest dolphin. Yes, Free Willy is a dolphin, just like Flipper.
Instantly recognized by their jet black body with well-defined white markings and light grey saddle patch behind a long (up to 2 m) dorsal fin, they have gained fame as popular tourist attractions in aquariums and Hollywood movies. They are known for incredible acrobatics, like breaching, skyhopping and loptailing. They are social predators that form groups of two to 20 or more, but generally three to seven.
Orcas are likely the second fastest ocean mammal reaching speeds of up to 26 knots (48 km/h), giving them a speed advantage. They target a range of prey including fish, squid, seabirds, turtles and marine mammals. Newfoundland populations have been observed killing minke whales, while offshore orcas even add sharks to the menu. They employ a range of unique predatory tactics, such as tipping seals off ice pans, herding narwhals nearshore and even temporarily beaching themselves to capture prey. These techniques are then passed on to their offspring. They occupy the top of the food chain with no natural predators.
Orcas can be observed both near and offshore throughout the Newfoundland and Labrador region, but are most commonly spotted in the Straight of Belle Isle and off St. Anthony in the fall and near Battle Harbour Labrador in the spring. They can also be found off Cape Spear, Witless Bay, Bonavista and Burin Peninsulas and near St. Pierre et Miquelon. Usually, you’ll only catch a quick glance as they travel quickly and rarely stay in the same place for more than a few hours.
Atlantic White-Sided Dolphin
Commonly referred to as “jumpers” in Newfoundland and Labrador, white-sided dolphins Lagenorhynchus acutus are an abundant species that can often be seen in summer close to shore, often in association with humpback and fin whales and other dolphins, moving further offshore during winter. They inhabit areas of temperate and cold waters around the continental shelf and slope and have been found relatively far up the St. Lawrence River.
White-sided dolphins reach a length of 2.8 m, with the males being slightly larger. They show complex colouration, black on top with grey sides and lower tail stock, white underneath with a yellowish patch behind the dorsal fin and a black ring around the eye. The flippers, tall hooked dorsal fin and flukes are black, with the beak relatively short and unpronounced.
Capable of speeds up to 25 knots (46 km/h), usually in groups of five to 60, they feed on small schooling fish such as herring, mackerel, smelt and sand lance, shrimp, squid and some bottomdwelling fish also factor into the diet.
These fast swimmers are agile and often perform acrobatics above the surface. They are wearier of vessels than other dolphins but will bow or wake ride and can be easily mistaken for white-beaked dolphins. Most areas of the province present opportunities to see these dolphins.
Our August 2024 issue of Downhome embraces the idea of new horizons, both real and imagined. Our cover image, taken by Roger Gillard during a hiking excursion of the White Horse Path on the East Coast Trail, embodies the idea of looking out toward new and exciting possibilities.
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